March is Women’s History Month, and in
honor of this occasion, I’d like to share with you the story of one of the most
noteworthy women leaders of antiquity. Zenobia of Palmyra (an ancient city in
central Syria) was not only a remarkable Middle Eastern leader but also a famous
philosopher after her forced retirement in Italy. I have condensed this account
of her life from the pages of Historical
Tales: The Romance of Reality, Volume X: Greek by Charles Morris
(published in 1908 and now in the public domain).
Among the most famous of the women of
ancient days must be named Zenobia (ca. 240-after 275 CE), the celebrated Queen
of Palmyra and the East, who claimed to be descended from Cleopatra. She was
familiar with the Greek, the Syriac, and the Egyptian languages and was an
adept in Latin, then the political language of the civilized world. She was an
earnest student of Oriental history, of which she herself drew up an epitome,
while she was fully conversant with Homer, Plato, and the other great writers
of Greece.
This accomplished woman gave her hand in
marriage to Odaenathus, who from a private station had gained by his valor the
empire of the East. He made Syria his by courage and ability and twice pursued
the Persian king to the gates of Ctesiphon. Inured to fatigue, she usually
appeared on horseback in a military habit and at times marched on foot at the
head of the troops. Odaenathus owed his success largely to the prudence and
fortitude of his incomparable wife. In the midst of his successes in war,
Odaenathus was cut off in 267 CE by assassination. He had punished his nephew,
who killed him in return. Zenobia at once succeeded to the vacant throne and by
her ability governed Palmyra, Syria, and the East.
Her husband Odaenathus had avenged
Valerian, the Roman emperor, who had been taken prisoner and shamefully treated
by the Persian king. For this service, he was confirmed in his authority by the
Senate of Rome. But after his death, the Senate refused to grant this authority
to his widow and called on her to deliver her dominion over to Rome. The
martial queen refused, defied the power of Rome, and determined to maintain her
empire in despite of the Senate and army of the proud “master of the world.”
War at once broke out. A Roman army
invaded Syria but was met by Zenobia with such warlike energy and skill that it
was hurled back in defeat, and its commanding general, having lost his army,
was driven back to Europe in disgrace. This success gave Zenobia the highest
fame and power in the world of the Orient. The states of Arabia, Armenia, and
Persia, in dread of her enmity, solicited alliance with her. To her dominions,
which extended from the Euphrates over much of Asia Minor and to the borders of
Arabia, she added the populous kingdom of Egypt, the inheritance of her claimed
ancestors. The Roman emperor Claudius II acknowledged her authority and left
her unmolested. Assuming the splendid title of Queen of the East, she
established at her court the stately power of the courts of Asia, exacted from
her subjects the adoration shown to the Persian king, and, while strict in her
economy, at times displayed the greatest liberality and magnificence.
Queen
Zenobia’s Last Look upon Palmyra
by Herbert Schmalz (1856-1935) (Image Credit: Public Domain via Wikimedia
Commons)
But a new emperor came to the throne in
Rome: Aurelian, a fierce and vigorous soldier, marched at the head of the Roman
legions against this valiant queen, who had built herself up an empire of great
extent, and demanded that she should submit to the power of his arms. Asia
Minor was quickly restored to Rome, Antioch fell into the hands of Aurelian,
and the Romans still advanced to meet the army of the Syrian queen. Meeting
near Antioch, a great battle was fought. The army of Zenobia met with defeat
and at a subsequent battle, near Emesa, met with a second disastrous repulse.
Zenobia found it impossible to collect a
third army. Most of the nations under her control had submitted to the
conqueror. Out of her lately great empire only her capital, Palmyra, remained.
In this city, surrounded with strong walls, Zenobia had gathered the various
military engines that in those days were used in siege and defense and was
prepared to make the most vigorous resistance to the armies of Rome.
The siege proved difficult, and the
emperor, leading the attacks in person, was himself wounded with a dart.
Aurelian, finding that he had undertaken no trifling task, prudently offered
excellent terms to the besieged, but they were rejected with insulting
language. Zenobia hoped that famine would come to her aid to defeat her foe and
had reason to expect that Persia would send an army to her relief. Neither
happened. The Persian king had just died. Convoys of food crossed the desert in
safety. Despairing at length of success, Zenobia mounted her fleetest dromedary
and fled across the desert to the Euphrates. Here she was overtaken and brought
back a captive to the emperor's feet.
Soon afterwards, Palmyra surrendered.
The emperor treated it with lenity, but a great treasure in gold, silver, silk,
and precious stones fell into his hands, with all the animals and arms.
Zenobia, being brought into his presence, he sternly asked her how she had
dared to take arms against the emperors of Rome. She answered, with respectful
prudence, “Because I disdained to consider as Roman emperors an Aureolus or a
Gallienus. You alone I acknowledge as my conqueror and my sovereign.”
On his return, Aurelian celebrated his
victories and conquests with a magnificent triumph, one of the most
ostentatious that any Roman emperor had ever given. To Zenobia the victor
behaved with a generous clemency such as the conquering emperors of Rome rarely
indulged in. He presented her with an elegant villa at Tibur, or Tivoli, about
twenty miles from the imperial city; and here, surrounded by luxury, she who
had played so imperial a role in history sank into the humbler state of a Roman
matron. Her daughters married into noble families, and the descendants of the
once Queen of the East were still known in Rome in the fifth century.
Respectfully
Submitted,
Rob Chappell
Chair,
Legacy of Leadership Committee
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